Penny Penny

{{Short description|South African musician and politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}  {{Infobox musical artist | name = Penny Penny | image = | caption = | landscape = | birth_name = Eric Kulani Giyani Nkovani | alias = | birth_date = 1962 | birth_place = Limpopo | death_date = | instrument = {{flatlist| *Vocals *synthesisers}} | genre = {{flatlist| *Tsonga disco *House•Kwaito }} | occupation = {{flatlist| *Musician *singer *songwriter *politician *television personality}} | years_active = 1994–present | label = | website = }}

{{Infobox officeholder | office = Member of the National Assembly of South Africa | term_start = 2024 | party = uMkhonto weSizwe Party }}

'''Eric Kulani Giyani Nkovani''' or '''Gezani Kobane''' (born 1962), better known by his stage names '''Penny Penny''' and '''Papa Penny''' is a South African musician and politician,<ref name="Browne" /> known affectionately as the "Shangaan Disco King" for the musical style he helped popularise.<ref name="Timeslive" />

== Biography == He was the youngest of 68 children from a local traditional Surgeon/ doctor with 25 wives. His family was poor, meaning he received no education, but he soon became known for his dancing and was nicknamed Penny.<ref name="Browne">{{cite web|last1=Browne|first1=David|title=Is Penny Penny the Next Rodriguez?|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/is-penny-penny-the-next-rodriguez-20131104|website=Rolling Stone|accessdate=9 February 2018|date=4 November 2013}}</ref> Aged 19, he worked on a West Driefontein goldmine near Carletonville, and soon left to escape the region's poor working conditions, although he won several breakdancing trophies before his departure.<ref name="Mojapelo">{{cite book|last1=Mojapelo|first1=Max|title=Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music|date=2009|publisher=African Minds|isbn=978-1920299286|page=147|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x-KW9f02oNMC&q=penny+penny+shaka+bundu&pg=PA147|accessdate=9 February 2018}}</ref> His breakthrough came with the recording and release of his 1994 debut album ''Shaka Bundu'', which was recorded in a week using little gear but went on to sell 250,000 copies in the country.<ref name="FACT1">{{cite web|title=Awesome Tapes From Africa to reissue album by South African house legend Penny Penny|url=http://www.factmag.com/2013/09/13/awesome-tapes-from-africa-to-reissue-album-by-south-african-house-legend-penny-penny/|website=FACT|accessdate=9 February 2018|date=13 September 2013}}</ref> The music features Tsonga (or Shangaan) disco sound, which emerged in Penny's native Tsonga culture,<ref name="Miles">{{cite web|last1=Miles|first1=Milo|title=Before He Joined Congress, A South African Janitor's Disco Past|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/02/06/272638152/before-he-joined-congress-a-south-african-janitors-disco-past|website=NPR|accessdate=9 February 2018|date=6 February 2014}}</ref> fused with contemporary house music from the United States.<ref name="Spice">{{cite web|last1=Spice|first1=Anton|title=Awesome Tapes From Africa to reissue anthemic South African house artist Penny Penny|url=https://thevinylfactory.com/news/awesome-tapes-from-africa-to-reissue-anthemic-south-african-house-artist-penny-penny/|website=The Vinyl Factory|accessdate=9 February 2018|date=18 September 2013}}</ref> Unusually, the songs on the album were recorded in the Tsonga or Xitsonga language,<ref name="Miles" /> or more specifically its Limpopo-region dialect Xihlanganu, one of the least-heard languages in South Africa. This was a conscious choice on behalf of Penny, who wanted to introduce his language "to the world."<ref name="Street">{{cite web|last1=Street|first1=Andrew P|title=Penny Penny: back in currency|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/australia-culture-blog/2014/may/29/penny-penny-from-pop-to-politics-and-back-again|website=The Guardian|accessdate=9 February 2018|date=29 May 2014}}</ref> He stayed in Peta Teanet 's mansion in Tzaneen for 3 months while he was being taught music by the King of Disco Peta Teanet.

== Career == He recorded several further albums, including ''Laphinda Shangaan'' (1997) and ''Makanjta Jive'' (1998), both of which outsold ''Shaka Bundu'',<ref name="Mojapelo" /> although none of his albums were distributed outside of South Africa, and he soon drifted into obscurity as the country's music trends moved on.<ref name="Street" /> ''Shaka Bundu'' was re-released worldwide by Awesome Tapes From Africa, which helped renew his musical popularity.<ref name="Chauke">{{cite web|last1=Chauke|first1=Orlando|title=Penny Penny's star to rise again|url=https://reviewonline.co.za/8596/penny-pennys-star-to-rise-again/|website=Review Online|accessdate=9 February 2018|date=23 September 2013}}</ref> His newfound popularity spread to the clubs of Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web|title=South African pop star Penny Penny reborn in clubs of LA|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-africa-34090055|website=BBC|access-date=13 March 2018}}</ref> In 2017, he began creating music in a style he called "heavy gum," after growing tired of being referred to as the "Shangaan Disco King". He said: "I never labelled myself as Shangaan Disco King, other people did. I am tired of people knowing me only because of my language. Music is more than the language you speak." His first single in the style was "Goldie Bone."<ref name="Timeslive" >{{cite web|title=Penny Penny on creating a new music genre with first single, Goldie Bone|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2017-10-23-penny-penny-on-creating-a-new-music-genre-with-first-single-goldie-bone/|website=Times Live|accessdate=13 March 2018|date=23 October 2007}}</ref>

As a politician, Penny worked in the African National Congress (ANC) as a council member.<ref name="Street" /> He entered a publicised long-running spat with a chief based in Giyani over an initiative for free water, explaining that he "entered into a partnership with a local farmer to help provide water to the community but was apparently stopped from implementing the plan by the chief."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Zeeman|first1=Kyle|title=Penny Penny and Limpopo chief in spat over 'free water'|url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/entertainment/2017-07-12-penny-penny-and-limpopo-chief-in-spat-over-free-water/|website=Sowetan Live|accessdate=13 March 2018}}</ref>

Since 2017, he also stars in his own reality series ''Penny Ahee'' on Mzansi Magic,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Daylie|first1=Qhama|title=Penny Penny hits out at English backlash|url=https://www.news24.com/Drum/Archive/penny-penny-hits-out-at-english-backlash-20170728|website=News24|accessdate=13 March 2018|date=12 January 2017}}</ref> which was commissioned after a successful appearance as a judge on ''Clash of the Choirs''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mojalefa|first1=Kekeletso|title=Penny Penny Excited About Reality Show|url=https://www.dailysun.co.za/News/Entertainment/penny-penny-excited-about-reality-show-20170111|website=Daily Sun|accessdate=13 March 2018}}</ref>

Penny Penny is married and has 25 children, with 23 of them from previous relationships.<ref>{{cite web|title=Child no. 68 Penny Penny has 25 children of his own|url=https://citizen.co.za/lifestyle/your-life-entertainment-your-life/entertainment-celebrities/1394171/child-no-68-penny-penny-has-18-children-of-his-own/|website=Citizen|accessdate=13 March 2018|date=12 January 2017}}</ref>

In 2024, Penny left the ANC to join uMkhonto weSizwe (MKP),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matlala |first=Alex Japho |date=May 15, 2024 |title=Papa Penny Penny ditches ANC for MK party |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/papa-penny-penny-ditches-anc-mk-party-elections/ |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=The Citizen |language=en}}</ref> and was elected as a member of the National Assembly in the 2024 South African general election.

Penny resigned from MKP in May 2026, citing infighting and attacks from within the party.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malatji |first=Ngwako |date=May 15, 2026 |title=Africa Daily - Penny Penny resigns from MK Party Over “Betrayal and Vilification” - |url=https://africadaily.co.za/penny-penny-resigns-from-mk-party-over-betrayal-and-vilification/ |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=Africa Daily |language=en-US}}</ref> He joined the Afrika Mayibuye Movement shortly after.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Majadibodu |first=Simon |title=Papa Penny joins Floyd Shivambu’s Afrika Mayibuye Movement |url=https://iol.co.za/news/politics/2026-05-20-papa-penny-joins-floyd-shivambus-afrika-mayibuye-movement/ |access-date=2026-05-20 |website=IOL |language=en}}</ref>

==Discography== * ''Shaka Bundu'' (1994) * ''Yogo Yogo'' (1996) * ''Makajanta Jive'' (1997) * ''La Phinda Ishangaane'' (1997) * "Juri Juri" (1998) * ''Bum Bum'' (1999) * ''Viyana Viyana'' (2000)<ref>{{cite web|title=Discography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/penny-penny-mn0001453629|website=AllMusic|accessdate=13 March 2018}}</ref> * ''The King of Tamakhwaya 1'' (2001) *''The King of Tamakhwaya 2'' (2002) *''The King vs the General'' (2009, collaborated with General Muzka) * ''Pachi'' (2024)

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:People from Limpopo Category:Tsonga people Category:South African musicians Category:UMkhonto we Sizwe politicians Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2024–2029